There are many herbs on the market for a wide range of health concerns. Some of them actually work! Seriously, though, herbal remedies can be a safer route to go than prescription drugs. But, you should always discuss this option with your doctor before making a decision.
But, some further caution is in order. Herbal supplements can sometimes act like drugs in that they can produce side effects. Whenever considering taking an herb of any kind, make sure to research any potential side effects and drug interactions (if you’re taking any prescription medication). Just go to Google or Yahoo and type <herb name+side effects>.
I didn’t mean to scare you off by any means. Most side effects from herbs are much milder and non-dangerous compared to prescription drugs. And many herbs have no significant side effects at all.
Which ones help improve your cholesterol health? Here is a partial list:
- Garlic - well-known to have heart benefits, but smell/taste issues are a problem for some people.
- Policosanol - an extract from sugar cane, it has excellent cholesterol lowering benefits.
- Hawthorne - has flavonoids which help lower cholesterol, while lowering blood pressure and hardening of the arteries.
- Ginkgo Biloba - better known for memory and brain health, this tree flavonoid also helps reduce hardening of the arteries.
- Artichoke Extract - helps reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Red Yeast Rice extract - this is actually an herbal form of the statin drug Lovastatin. As such, watch out for the side effects!
- Green Tea- powerful antioxidant which can help lower inflammation and oxidized LDL cholesterol.
- Shiitake Mushroom extract - an herb which encourages the absorption of more cholesterol by the body tissues.
- Capcaisin - same substance found in hot peppers; believed to help suppress production of cholesterol in the liver. Causes stomach discomfort to some.
Many of these herbs can be found in health food and nutrition stores. You can also include them in your foods in some cases. Finally, some multi-vitamin type products may contain them.
In summary, herbal remedies can enhance an overall program for improving your cholesterol profile. Just use them in a common sense, safe manner. An excellent free research resource can be found at www.herbmed.org. Here, you can find clinical studies that have been done, potential interactions, side effects, and much more. Herbs are often listed by scientific name, so you may need to find that name prior to searching their database.
